Aircraft protector



June 7, 1932. KILGQRE 1,861,477

AIRCRAFT PROTECTOR Filed April 5. 1929 and the formation of ice or Patented June 7, 19 32 UNITED STATES .I'PATENT OFFICE JOHN KILGORE, OF NEW HAVEN,

CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO KILGORE AIRCRAFT PROTECTOR, INCORPORATED, 015 NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT AIRCRAFT PROTECTOR Application filed April 5,

, 10 instances the aviators are compelled to make forced landings.- The collection of ice or snow occurs principally at or adjacent the front edges of the wings and usually on the upper surface thereof. This not only adds to the weight of thewing but also alters the wing curvature so that the plane may not be manipulated satisfactorily and becomes unbalanced and is often forced down.

One object of this invention is to overcome the disadvantage referred to and to provide an aeroplane wing construction upon which the formation of ice or snow will be prevented.

Another object of this invention is the provision of means on the aeroplane wings so that the latter will be heated during flight, snow thereon will be prevented.

A still further object of the invention is the providing of heating elements, particularly adjacent the front edge and upper surface of an aeroplane wing, whereby this portion of the wing will be heated and the collection of ice or snow thereon will be pre-' vented.

To these and other ends, theinvention consists in the novel features and combinations of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is'a topplan view of an aeroplane wing embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view on line 2-2 of Fig. 1; 1

Fig. 3 is a sectional view-similar to Fig. 2, showing a modified form of the invention;

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are sectional views showing further, modifications;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view of 1929. Serial No. 352,645.

an aeroplane wing having a wing attachment embodying my invention.

To illustrate a preferred embodiment of my invention I have shown in Fig. 1 an aeroplane wing 10, having a lower surface 11, an upper surface 12, preferabl made of metal. In this instance, the speci c embodiment of my invention comprises heating elements which are spaced along the front edge of the wing and extend from the front edge rear- Wardly about half way over the wing surface. The exact dimensions of these heating elements may, of course, be varied, but as it is chiefly upon the front edge and upper surface of the wing that the ice and snow collects, it will not, in all cases, be absolutely necessary to extend the heat elements the entire width of the wing. Also, as the wing is, in this instance, made of metal, the heat elements may be spaced along the length of the wing and do not need to be continuous, as that portion of the wing between the elements will be heated by conduction so that the entire front edge of the wing will be heated sufliciently to prevent the formation of ice and snow thereon.

In Fig. 1 of the drawing I have shown six of these heat elements 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18, although more or less may be provided as desired. VVhile' the exact construction of these elements is not important in all aspects of the invention, I prefer to make them in the form of envelopes, as shown more clearly in Fig. 2, the upper and lower surfaces of the envelope being sheets of metal 19 and 20, between which is a chamber or space for a heat element 21 of. any preferred. construction. According to the present invention, I

propose to heat this unit electrically by means of the wires 22 and 23 leading to a source of current, which may be a battery or generator carried upon the plane. Below the metal sheet 20 is a sheet of heat insulating material 24 so that the heat given off by the heat element 21 will not be dissipated to the interior or lower surface of the plane, but will be confined to the envelope itself.

It will be understood that in this instance, the envelope is simply an inset into an opening or recess provided therefor in the upper surface, of the wing, and that at the ortions where the heat elements are-provi ed, the

upper surfaces of these elements become the upper surfaces of the wing, so that the proper curvature of the latter is not interfered with. It will also be understood that that portion of the front edge of the wing between the heat elements will be heated by conduction from the elements themselves. 7

In Fig. 3 of the drawing I have shown in cross-sectional view, an aeroplanewing wherein the lower surface 25 is made of metal and the upper surface is comprised by a heating envelope having inner and outer sheet metal portions 26 and 27, between which lies the heat element 28, as has already been described in connection with Figs. 1 and 2. It will be understood that in this instance, the heat envelope extends over the entire upper surface of the wing, and in fact, is the upper wing surface. It will also be understood that in the construction of a wing of this character, the heat envelope is constructed at the same, time asthe wing itself so that the thickness of the heat envelope is not added to that of the wing, but on the contrary the thickness of the lower part of the wing and the heat envelope will be of the proper dimension to give the proper wing curvature. It, of course, may be considered that the upper surface of the wing is the upper sheet 26 of the heat envelope, and that the remaining portions of this envelope lie within or below the upper wing surface.

I prefer to form the metal parts of the envelope of some strong li ht metal, such as duraluminum, which may e selected in the proper gauge so that the weight of the plane will not be increased an excessive amount. As shown in Fig. 3 also a sheet of insulation 29 is provided below the heat envelope.

In Fig. 4 of the drawing I have shown a construction wherein the entire wing is surrounded by' or comprised b a heat envelope constructed similarly to those already described in connection with Figs. 1 to 3, that is, this envelope comprises inner and outerv sheet metal portions 30 and 31, an inner heat element 32, and a heat insulating member 33. It will also be understood that in this instance, the heat envelope is not an element added to a previously formed wing but is made asan integral part of the wing, so that the curvature will be maintained.

I have shown in Fig. 5 a fabric wing provided with a heat element according to my invention. In this instance, the upper and lower surfaces of the wing, 34 and 35, are

made of fabric in the usual way, and heating envelopes 36 constructed as explained in connection with Figs. 1 and 2 are inserted as insets along the front edge of the wing. In this instance, the interior heating element 37 is placed between an outer sheet of metal 38 and an inner sheet of insulating material 39. It will be understood, of course, that the insulating material will not only extend along the under surface of the heat element, but

also will cover it at the ends and sides to.

is covered by the heat element which is at the ends suitably connected to the remaining parts of the wing. I

It will, of course, be understood that in all instances the wing is suitably braced and supported, but as these are well known engineering details I have deemed it unnecessary to describe them.

It will be obvious that in all forms of my invention I have provided an aeroplane wing with a heating device disposed below the upper surface of the wing and between the confines of the upper and lower surface, the heat element extending rearwardly from the front edge. Also, that this device provides a heat chamber within which heating means is disposed. In the embodiment shown, this heating means is in the form of an electrical resistance heatunit, but I may, if desired, provide other sources of'heat. For instance, the chamber in the heat envelope or heating device may be connected to the exhaust of the engine or have other heating fluids pass therethrough. In any case, I provide for a heating of the wing adjacent the upper surface from the front edge rearwardly, which will effectually prevent the formation of ice and snow thereon.

In Fig. 7 of the drawing I have shown front portion of an aeroplane wing 45, provided with a heating device 46, constructed as already explainedin connection with Figs.

2 and 3 of the drawing. At the forward end of this wing is provided an attachment 47, which-has the effect of increasing the wing surface to enable the aeroplane to take, off within a relatively short distance. The body 48 of this attachment is provided with a heating device in the form of an envelope .49, comprising upper and lower members 50 fication and variation within the sfpirit of the invention and within the scope o the appended claims. a

What I claim is: a

1. Means for preventing the formation of ice or the like on aeroplane wings, comprising an envelope disposed below and adjacent the upper surface of the wing, said envelope having a metal upper surface, an interior heat element, and a lower sheet of insulating material, said envelope being disposed adjacent the front edge of'the wing and extending rearwardly therefrom.

2. Means for preventing the formation of ice or the like on aeroplane wings, comprising an envelope disposed below and adjacent the upper surface of the wing, said envelope having a metal upper surface, an interior heat element, and a lower sheet of insulating material, said envelo being disposed adjacent the front edge oft he wing and extending rearwardly therefrom, the upper surface of the envelope forming the upper surface of that portion of the wing.

3. An aeroplane wing having a plurality of heat chambers spaced therealong adjacent the front edge thereof, each of said chambers being constituted by the outer surface of thev wing, and an inner member spaced from said surface and lying within the outline of the wing, and an electrical heat element in each of said chambers.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 4=th-day of April, 1929.

JOHN P. KILGORE. 

